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[RokofAges75]

I like that the whole self-publishing/ebook route has made it possible for anyone to publish a book, but at the same time, I feel like it cheapens the whole process.  It used to be that you had to have a certain level of talent and the right story to publish a book because you had to find an agent and a publisher and whatnot.  Doesn't seem to be the case anymore.  I have mixed feelings about it.

[mare]

To me the whole e-book thing to writers is the same as the whole auto tune thing to singers lol

[Sakabelle]

I like that analogy, Mare. lol

I haven't read 50 Shades of Grey, but I feel like I'm going to have to because I know I won't like it and I want to be able to accurately argue with people about why it bugs me so much. I work with a bunch of dudes, and they're reading it and they think it's great. It's very, very strange. The fact that it was a Twilight fanfiction is what bothers me the most about it, actually. I feel like it's going to end up giving fanfic writers a bad rep, or a worse one than we already have. Which is unfortunate because the reason I dislike the idea of this book so much is because of that, which is the exact thing I can't say to my work friends without the conversation turning into "Steph writes BSB fanfic?!"

So I'll just sit there and judge them silently lol.

Also, I was in the Chapters with my Grandma last week. She saw the display and was like "Oh, I heard good things about that book." And I was like "It's basically porn, Grandma." And she looked horrified lmao.

[RokofAges75]

LOL That's exactly how I feel, Steph.  And that's hilarious about your grandma!  Then again, my grandma raved about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and loaned me her copy to read, and then I read it and was shocked that she had liked it so much!

[mare]

Lmao aww grandma!

[kevmylove]

Omg you guys and the porn. My best friend said it's not graphic! Is it?

[RokofAges75]

It sounds like it's pretty explicit!  The radio station I listen to in the mornings started this new segment where they read excerpts and replace all the inappropriate words with something else - the one I heard was movie titles.  It was pretty funny, but they sure had to replace a lot of words!  Just think of the more graphic visuals in our fandom, and that's what it sounded like.  And I know it involves bondage and S&M kind of stuff, so it's more than just graphic sex.

[Sakabelle]

I flipped through it a bit in Chapters and the two pages I landed on were sex scenes. So either I managed to land on the only two in the book, or there's enough of it to make it so that it's very likely to land on one by just flipping through. I don't mind sex in books, I've written a fair amount of sex scenes myself but ehn... I dunno.

[RokofAges75]

Yeah, it's not the sex that bothers me; I think it's mainly the Twilight thing and the way the relationship is described.  It just doesn't sound like something that would appeal to me at all, and I'm surprised that so many intelligent, self-respecting women I know are so into it.

[Sakabelle]

Bear with me while I get over analytical for a moment, lol.

I feel like books like this and Twilight appeal to some women because they play up the carnal, lust driven relationship that is attractive to some people. The intense amount of passion in these books can be a nice escape from everyday life where things might be very routine. It's not really an insult and I don't mean it to be that way at all, I just think that might be the reason why so many women are into this sorts of thing. These types of books are an outlet for them in that way, I think.

It's the same way I am with boybands. It's a safe space to enjoy whatever you want in a fictional world. I personally get very nervous when I'm alone with men, so admiring Nick on YouTube videos from afar is a way for me to enjoy being attracted to a man without feeling apprehensive about what's going to happen.

I have had a lot of conversations with my very feminist friend about this sort of thing, so sorry for my over analytical answer haha.

[RokofAges75]

No, that makes sense; I can see that.  I think whatever we like to read, we do it for that sense of escapism, as well as entertainment.  Most of what I read and write, I would not want to happen in real life, but that's what makes it cathartic.  With fiction, you can live out your wildest fantasies or worst nightmares without ever leaving the safety of your home LOL.

[RokofAges75]

Mare tweeted this pic - how true is this?  Pretty sure I shed a few tears over the beginning of Up, whereas Twilight... nothing.

https://twitter.com/bitybella/status/211996759726108672/photo/1/large

[Sakabelle]

Haha, so true! I also cried at the beginning of Up.

[mare]

Thanks, Julie lol

[twofaced]

Ugh, ok, now I'm cracking it open... Will keep you updated... Though one of my friends on tumblr posted up "50 shades of there..." with like 10 instances where the writer was afraid to go into any sort of anatomy:

"My breath caught as I started to feel things there."
"I shivered as he put his hand there."
"A moan escaped my lips as he began to kiss me there..."

and so on... Can't stand writers that use words like "There" or "sausage" it's like really? Come on, now. Hopefully we're all adults and can handle a common word without giggling.